Top hole travelling seal



Feb. 21, 1967 MACKLEM 3,304,887

TOP HOLE TRAVELLING SEAL Filed May 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. IB

LEON E. MACKLEM,INVENTOR\ FIG. IA

Feb. 21, 1967 L. E. MACKLEM 3,304,887

TOP HOLE TRAVELLING SEAL Filed May 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 le 8mg 5 LEON E. MACKLE M INVENTOR.

FIG. IC BYZ Z Feb. 21, 1967 MACKLEM 3,304,887

TOP HOLE TRAVELLING SEAL Filed May 20, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 3

LEON E. MACKLEM INVENTOR.

United States Patent ()fifice 3,304,887 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 3,304,887 TOP HQLE TRAVELLING SEAL Leon E. Macklem. 3113 Blossom Lane, Odessa, Tex. 79760 Filed May 20, 1965, Ser. No. 457,266 6 Claims. (Cl. 103-202) This invention relates to deep wells and more particularly to a stufiing box or top hole travelling seal for pumping oil wells.

This invention relates to a seal for the top of the production tubing to seal the reciprocating rod which operates the pump far below the ground. My seal is characterized by a cylindrical barrel which is telescoped in the production tubing and the packing is mounted upon a sleeve upon the rod within the cylindrical barrel. This arrangement makes it more convenient to provide lubrication to the packing. The stufiing box is cooled by the pumped petroleum surrounding the barrel. The packing is more accessible to the top of the well and it is easier and quicker to change the packing. Also the packing is within the production tubing and therefore protected from externaldamage from blows, etc.

Furthermore the particular design of my sealresults in a seal wherein the same crude :oil or petroleum is continually in contact with the packing. Inasmuch as often the crude oil is corrosive, it is advantageous that a new flow of corrosive material not be contacting the sealing surface.

In addition the design is readily adapted to protect the moving parts of the seal from sand and other foreign material which would tend to wear the seal.

An object of this invention is to provide a top hole seal for the reciprocating rod of an oil well pump having the above enumerated features and advantages.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, versatile, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture and operate.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof will clearly appear from :the following description and from the accompanying drawing, the different views of which are not necessarily :to the same scale, in which:

FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C are an axial sectional view of a well embodying my invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the packing seen in FIGS. 1B and 1C.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a modified form of packmg.

Referring more particularly to the drawings there will be seen the-re represented a well having casing extending deep within the ground. At the bottom of the well therein there is the bottom hole pump 12 which pumps oil upward through the production tubing 14 responsive to reciprocation of the rod 16. Conventional means (not shown) for reciprocating the rod is provided at the top of the rod. The top of the production tubing 14 is sealed to the top of the casing. Adjacent to the top of the production tubing 14 T connection 18 attaches flow line 20 to the tubing 16 to conduct the produced petroleum from the well to the point of storage (not shown). The rod 16 is telescoped within the tubing 14 which is telescoped within the casing 10.

Adapter 22 is threaded to the top of the T 18. Cylindrical barrel 24 is telescoped Within the production tubing 14 and is sealingly connected as by threads 26 within the adapter 22.

There is ample clearance around the outside of the barrel 24 and inside of the tubing 14 for the petroleum to flow in this annular space to the flow line 20.

Sleeve 28 is telescoped around the rod 16 and forms a snug fit around the outside of the rod. External threads upon the top of the sleeve 28 are threaded within threads of connector 30. External threads on the top of connector 30 are threaded into internal threads on holder 32. Seal 34 between the holder and the connector form a fluid tight seal sealingly connecting the top of the sleeve 28 to the rod 16 above the top of production tubing 14. The holder is securely structurally attached to the rod 16 by set screws 36.

Packing carrier 38 is telescoped around the rod 16 at the bottom of the sleeve 28 and is connected thereto by the internal threads of cuff 40 which is threadingly con nected to the bottom of the sleeve. The packing carrier itself is telescoped within the barrel 24. The packing carrier has externally extending flange 42 on the bottom thereof. Packing 44 is mounted around the packing carrier 38 between the flange 42 on the bottom and packing nut 46 at the top which is threaded onto the threads on top of the packing carrier. The top of the packing nut is jammed against the bottom of the cuff 40 to prevent movement of the parts. The packing is in two portions, an upper and lower portion with expansion spring 48 surrounding the packing carrier between the upper and lower sections of packing 44. The packing forms a fluid tight seal between the sleeve and the barrel 24.

The threaded top of the barrel 24 extends above the top of the adapter 22. Breathing head 50 is attached thereto by internal threads upon the breathing head. The bottom of the breathing head is jammed against the top of the adapter 22 to insure against loosening of parts. The top of the barrel terminates within the breathing head. Wiper guide 52 is threaded into the top of the breathing head. The bore of the wiper guide 52 forms a snug fit with the sleeve 28 to wipe sand and other foreign material from the sleeve to prevent it from entering into the barrel 24. The inside of the wiper guide is lined with a synthetic plastic such as Teflon. A plurality of holes 54 extend upward and inward from the outside of the breathing head into internal recess 56 in the breathing head between the top of the barrel 24 and the bottom of the wiper guide 52. These holes provide for air to flow into and out of the barrel as the rod 16 reciprocates the packing 44. Inasmuch as they angle upward and inward they tend to prevent sand and other foreign material from being drawn into the barrel 24.

In operation the bottom hole pump 12 flows more fluid than the packing 44 displaces upon its reciprocation. Therefore the stuffing box and packing 44 acts as a stuffing box and not as a top hole pump.

To replace or service the packing all that is necessary is for the wiper guide 52 to be removed from the breather head 50 and the holder 32 to be released by loosening the set screws 36 and loosening the holder 32 and connector 30. Then the sleeve 28 is removed from the barrel and from around the rod 16 by sliding it upward (the rod also being disconnected from the means for reciprocating the rod). After the removal of the sleeve 28 the packing carrier 38 may be removed from the cuff 40 and a replacement packing carrier assembled on the cuff 40 and the sleeve and packing replaced around the rod 16 and within the barrel 24, the wiper guide 52 replaced and the holder 32 and connector 30 tightened to tighten the seal 34 and the set screws 36 tightened. Therefore it may be seen that the packing on the well may be replaced simply and easily in a short time.

Also it will be seen that the crude petroleum and other fluids being pumped by the well circulating on the outside of the barrel 24 provides fiuid cooling for the barrel. Also it ay be readily seen that lubrication can be introduced within the barrel above the packing 44 through the holes 54 and that this lubricant will be prevented from being contaminated by the protection from sand and other foreign materials described.

An alternate form of packing upon the sleeve is illustrated in FIG. 3. In this alternate form the bottom of the sleeve 128 is threaded as before. A short distance above the threads the sleeve has an external groove 162 therein. Lock ring 164 fits within this groove and rests upon internal shoulder 166 of top packing holder 168. The top packing holder 168 is telescoped around the sleeve 128 and adapted to be telescoped within the barrel 24. The packing 144 is secured between the top packing holder 168 attached to the sleeve as described and the bottom packing holder 170 which is threaded into the external threads on the bottom of the sleeve 128. Jam nut 146 is used to prevent loosening of the parts.

With this alternate form of packing attachment it may be seen that the packing may be serviced from the top of the well conveniently as with the first form of packing described, however, a slightly longer time is required to replace the packing.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction, materials, and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an oil well having (a) a production tube extending deep within the ground,

(b) a downhole pump connected to the production tube deep within the ground,

(c) a sucker rod telescoped within the production tube connected to the downhole pump to operate same, and

(d) a flow line connected near the top of the production tube for flowing oil which has been pumped from the well to a remote point;

in combination with the above the improvement comprising:

(e) a barrel sealingly connected to the top of the tubing and telescoped within the tubing,

(f) said rod telescoped within the barrel,

(g) a sleeve telescoped around the rod and within the barrel,

(h) the top of the sleeve extending above the top of the tubing and sealingly connected to the rod, and

(j) packing surrounding the sleeve at the bottom of the sleeve,

(k) said packing forming a seal between said sleeve and said barrel.

2. In an oil well having (a) a production tube extending deep within the ground,

(b) a downhole pump connected to the production tube deep within the ground,

(c) a sucker rod telescoped within the production tube connected to the downhole pump to operate same, and

(d) a flow line connected near the top of the production tube for flowing oil which has been pumped from the well to a remote point; in combination with the above the improvement comprising:

(e) a barrel sealingly connected to the top of the tubing and telescoped within the tubing,

(f) said rod telescoped within the barrel,

(g) a sleeve telescoped around the rod and within the barrel,

(h) the top of the sleeve extending above the top of the tubing and sealingly connected to the rod,

(j) packing surrounding the sleeve at the bottom of the sleeve,

(k) said packing forming a seal between said sleeve and said barrel, and

(m) a bushing at the top of the barrel,

(11) said bushing forming means for performing three functions (i) first, guiding the rod (ii) second, preventing dirt and dust from entering said rod, and

(iii) third, providing an air vent to the space between said sleeve and barrel.

3. In an oil well having (a) a production tube extending deep within the ground,

(b) a downhole pump connected to the production tube deep within the ground,

(c) a sucker rod telescoped within the production tube connected to the downhole pump to operate same, and

(d) a flow line connected near the top of the production tube for flowing oil which has been pumped from the well to a remote point;

in combination with the above the improvement comprising:

(e) a barrel sealingly connected to the top of the tubing and telescoped within the tubing,

(f) said rod telescoped within the barrel,

(g) a sleeve telescoped around the rod and Within the barrel,

(h) the top of the sleeve extending above the top of the tubing and sealingly connected to the rod, and

(j) packing surrounding the sleeve at the bottom of the sleeve,

(k) said packing forming a seal between said sleeve and said barrel and (In) said packing atached to an assembly which is removably connected to said sleeve so that said packing assembly may be readily and quickly replaced without placing new packing on the sleeve or without replacing the entire sleeve assembly.

4. In an oil well having (a) a production tube extending deep within the ground,

(b) a downhole pump connected to the production tube deep within the ground,

(c) a sucker rod telescoped within the production tube operatively connected to the downhole pump, and

(d) a flow line connected near the top of the production tube for flowing oil which has been pumped from the well to a remote point;

in combination with the above the improvement comprising:

(e) an adapter attached to the top of the production tube,

(f) a barrel threaded within the adapter and telescopingly depending within the production tube,

(g) the bottom of the barrel below the point the flow line is connected,

(h) a breathing head attached to the barrel above the adapter,

(j) a sleeve telescoped around the rod from above the breathing head to within the barrel,

(k) means interconnecting the rod and sleeve above the breathing head for structurally and fluid sealingly 6. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein connecting the sleeve and the rod, (=p) said packing means surrounds a carrier around the (m) the breathing head having holes extending insucker rod,

wardly and upwardly from the outside to the inside (q) said carrier threadedly connected to said sleeve, to permit breathing to the space between the sleeve 5 be10W Said sleeve. and barrel, and R (n) packing means attached to the sleeve for forming Relerences Cited by the Exammer a fluid tight seal between the sleeve and the barrel. UNITED STATES PATENTS 5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein 2,350,893 6/1944 Jetter 103 195 (p) said packing means surrounds the lower part of 10 the sleeve. ROBERT M. WALKER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN AN OIL WELL HAVING (A) A PRODUCTION TUBE EXTENDING DEEP WITHIN THE GROUND, (B) A DOWNHOLE PUMP CONNECTED TO THE PRODUCTION TUBE DEEP WITHIN THE GROUND, (C) A SUCKER ROD TELESCOPED WITHIN THE PRODUCTION TUBE CONNECTED TO THE DOWNHOLE PUMP TO OPERATE SAME, AND (D) A FLOW LINE CONNECTED NEAR THE TOP OF THE PRODUCTTION TUBE FOR FLOWING OIL WHICH HAS BEEN PUMPED FROM THE WELL TO REMOTE POINT; IN COMBINATION WITH THE ABOVE THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: (E) A BARREL SEALINGLY CONNECTED TO THE TOP OF THE TUBING AND TELESCOPED WITHIN THE TUBING, (F) SAID ROD TELESCOPED WITHIN THE BARREL, (G) A SLEEVE TELESCOPED AROUND THE ROD AND WITHIN THE BARREL, 